Final answer:
The Jamestown settlers, composed mainly of elite family members lacking farming skills, endured great hardships such as disease, starvation, and conflicts with the Powhatan tribe. The colony nearly failed during 'the starving time' but managed to survive and later prosper with the cultivation of tobacco as a cash crop.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early settlers of Jamestown faced severe obstacles, including poor health, lack of food, and hostile relations with Native American tribes, particularly the Powhatan. The settlers, many of whom were from elite families without labor skills, failed to anticipate the labor required to establish a colony. They focused on finding gold and other riches instead of growing food, leading to the period known as "the starving time" during the winter of 1609-1610. The survival of the Jamestown colony was precarious until the introduction of a tobacco economy, cultivated by John Rolfe, turned the situation around and provided the financial success the colonists and the Virginia Company had hoped for. Despite their many hardships and a high mortality rate, the arrival of supply ships and a shift in focus from gold to agriculture allowed Jamestown to eventually thrive as the first permanent English settlement in North America.